Launch from Cape Canaveral (KSC); landing on Edwards AFB.

Primary payload Hubble Space Telescope, deployed in a 380-statute-mile orbit; several secondary payloads: (ICBC, APM, AMOS Protein Crystal Growth (PCG) and more). The later very successful Hubble Telescope did not work well, because of mirror-problems; therefore a repair-mission was planned (STS-61).

The record height (needed to deploy Hubble) permitted the crew to photograph earth's large scale geographic features not apparent from lower orbits. Motion pictures were recorded by two IMAX cameras, and the results appeared in the IMAX film Destiny in Space. Experiment activity included a biomedical technology study, advanced materials research; particle contamination and ionizing radiation measurements; and student science project studying zero gravity effects on electronic arcs.